There are so-called "cold pack" cartons for carbonated beverages, and the like, in present use which are made of paperboard and have metallic foil laminated against their outside surfaces. Each of these cartons is used to transport, store, sell, and dispense a predetermined number of beverage containers, usually in the form of metal cans.
Heretofore, these cartons were made primarily utilizing new paperboard which has comparatively long high-strength fibers. However, because of the high cost of wood products and an increasing scarcity of wood and paper products, it has been necessary to make many of these cartons from reclaimed or recycled paper whereby such paper has comparatively short fibers and cartons make therefrom have less structural strength.
It has been found that cartons of the character mentioned, including those made using new paperboard, have integral handles in the top walls thereof which are of marginal strength. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a high-strength integral handle for a carton of the character mentioned regardless of whether such carton is made of new paperboard, recycled paperboard, or some other material.